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It was exactly 50 years ago this week that Israel learned what all of us must learn: who are our real friends?

To get a perspective on how to answer this question I first want to draw your attention to two people who play an important role during this festival of Shavuot. Interestingly enough, they are both non-Jews who later on became Jews. But their stories, in regard to the Jewish people, are very different.

First is a woman named Ruth. It is hard to describe how high a pedestal our tradition places her on. She became the forerunner of King David and the Messiah. Her story was chosen to be read on Shavuot when we recall the giving of the Torah because she took on the Torah on her own. She is the paradigm of the quintessential convert. Her conversion takes place through her uttering those immortal words: “Ameich ami v’Elokayich Elokai – Your people shall be my people and your God shall be my God.” READ MORE

You know that I’m no big fan of Donald Trump. But after what he did in Israel this week, I’ve really had it with him! It’s not anything he said, it was just his being there! Because he came, I was forced to move from my hotel in Jerusalem for security reasons. The Secret Service said it needed the whole hotel. I tried to explain that back here at Beth Tfiloh, I am part of the Secret Service … my attendance at services is a big secret! But they just did not get it! The truth is, it made no difference. My stay in Israel was one of the most glorious I’ve ever had. As part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, I got to hear and meet everyone from the prime minister and president of Israel to Michael Oren and Yossi Klein Halevi and more chief rabbis than there are countries in this world! It was all fabulous! But through it all I kept thinking of one person who wasn’t there, who is not alive, but the picture of him is well known in Israeli culture, and it puts into context all that has unfolded before our eyes. Indeed, it sheds light on why we stay up all night on the eve of Shavuot. READ MORE